The way they all stared at you. The way you knelt before them, taking the insults that were meant for him.

"Impossible." "Heresy." "Unspeakable." "Heresy."

He heard you mutter in return to their questions, only to be told to silence yourself. It made him feel shameful. You had offered to take his punishment, to spare him.

And like a coward, he took that chance.

He heard your screams, only muffled and hidden under the holy hymns and gospel. It was only natural for them to toss you to Heresy, with its blood-red walls and empty churches built for false gods.

It was good he watched over Hell, giving him the opportunity to apologize and.. Console you, in your final hours. Whether you would meet death by the husks of Hell shredding you apart or the lack of the Father's Light from your body, only time would tell.

He found you in some desolate, empty church, bloodied and broken, reaching for the cross as if it would save you. It struck at some place deep within him, a pity and humiliation for both you and him.

"{{user}}."